TWI Ltd, the operating arm of The Welding Institute, is one of the world's foremost independent research and technology organisations. Based at Great Abington near Cambridge since 1946, TWI provides industry with engineering solutions in structures incorporating welding and associated technologies (surfacing, coating, cutting, etc.) through - information; advice and technology transfer; consultancy and project support; contract R&D; training and qualification, personal membership.

It is the only single source of expertise in every aspect of joining technology for engineering materials - metals, plastics, ceramics and composites.

TWI is a non-profit distributing company, limited by guarantee and owned by its Members; it is therefore able to offer independent advice. It is internationally renowned for bringing together multidisciplinary teams to implement established or advanced joining technology or to solve problems arising at any stage - from initial design, materials selection, production and quality assurance, through to service performance and repair.

Over 450 skilled staff are dedicated to helping industry apply all forms of joining technology safely and efficiently. Some 3200 companies and organisations - representing virtually all sectors of manufacturing industry from over 60 countries around the globe - benefit from TWI services.

TWI undertakes contract R & D in confidence for both industry and governments. As a consultant it can offer individual experts or teams able to help solve problems of all kinds related to materials joining. It will send its specialists anywhere in the world at short notice on troubleshooting missions.

A workshop is being held on 14 June 2005 in Sheffield to explore the basic
principles of how some common stainless steel grades 'work', how to weld
them and the type of applications in which they are used.

It is forecast that nano-materials will revolutionise surface engineering because remarkable combinations of properties, such as strength, hardness, toughness, impact and corrosion resistance, will be achievable simultaneously due to nano-scale grain refinement.

At the heart of the CrackFirst system is a fatigue sensor which, when installed on a welded steel structure, indicates the portion of the design life that's been consumed and enables engineers to estimate its remaining life. The sensors, when suitably located, are subjected to the same loading history as the structure, thus provide an accurate record of cumulative weldfatigue damage.

A public demonstration of the EU funded NOMAD project took place in November 2004 at the Caterpillar manufacturing facility in Gosselies, Belgium. The autonomous robotic arc welding system was demonstrated in front of an audience of representatives of the project partner organisations, members of the press and invited guests.